Heartthrob, Your Image is Crumbling!

Chapter 396: What's Wrong With Wearing Your Clothes

Actually, ever since Zhou Yuwen started doing better and better outside the university, whenever he appeared in class, there was always a sense of distance between him and the others. Although the girls wanted to chat with him, they weren't as bold as Liu Yue.Liu Yue was always the first to speak with Zhou Yuwen. Doing so under everyone's watchful eyes always made her feel a sense of pride. Her roommates, Ma Tian and Li Jing, simply watched from the sidelines, occasionally chuckling along whenever Zhou Yuwen cracked a witty joke.

At that moment, their homeroom teacher, You Changjin, walked in.

Having gone through a breakup last semester, You Changjin had been in a rather poor state of mind. But no matter how bad things got, those troubles would eventually pass. He still had to face his students with a smile.

When You Changjin entered, Zhou Yuwen was standing there chatting with Liu Yue.

You Changjin teased, "What's this, Yuwen? Got a new girlfriend?"

"Hahaha!"

The class immediately erupted into roaring laughter. Teacher You really knew how to joke. Zhou Yuwen and Liu Yue, a couple?

This laughter made Liu Yue blush furiously. She quickly protested, "Teacher You! You're so mean! I already have a boyfriend!"

Hearing this, Jiang Chao couldn't help but grin from across the room. "Whoa, Liu Yue, you got another boyfriend!?"

Another wave of laughter swept through the room.

Liu Yue couldn't help but turn back and glare playfully at him, scolding Jiang Chao for being annoying.

You Changjin smiled along with them before clapping his hands. "Alright, everyone back to your seats."

"Class, a new semester has begun!"

You Changjin was getting more and more experienced in his teaching. He joked with the students a bit more before outlining the schedule for the new semester. Two new courses had been added, and they were also required to organize a practical activity this term, which would kick off with a themed class meeting.

"The class monitor and vice class monitor should start making preparations for this."

Aside from that, there were also events organized by the Student Union, which he encouraged everyone to actively participate in.

"When I walked past earlier, I saw the Arts Department hosting something... the Top Ten Campus Singers competition, I think. Yuwen is the recognized talent of our class, so you have to step up and register."

As he spoke, everyone turned their gazes toward Zhou Yuwen.

Zhou Yuwen blinked. "Huh? What does that have to do with me?"

You Changjin smiled. "Those who are capable are called upon to do more!"

Zhou Yuwen felt completely helpless. Earlier, when You Changjin told everyone to sit down, Zhou Yuwen had casually taken a seat next to Lu Yuhang. He didn't really have a choice; he wasn't that close with anyone else.

Sitting with Lu Yuhang meant he was also sitting with Chang Hao and Li Qiang.

Strangely enough, Li Qiang, who usually loved chiming into conversations the most, seemed utterly lifeless today.

Zhou Yuwen asked Lu Yuhang, "What's wrong with Li Qiang?"

Lu Yuhang whispered back, "Brother Qiang apparently got into an online romance with a girl recently, and then he got dumped."

"Online romance?"

Zhou Yuwen found this amusing and chuckled. "Online dating is the most unreliable thing in the world."

"Yuhang, you can't let them be a bad influence on you." Zhou Yuwen patted Lu Yuhang on the shoulder.

Lu Yuhang's face flushed slightly as he stammered, "I-I don't date."

"Good."

The class meeting dragged on for nearly forty minutes. Several other classes that had started their meetings at the same time had practically emptied out, but You Changjin was still rambling on at the podium.

He had originally planned to pull Zhou Yuwen aside for a quick chat after the main meeting to ask about Jiang Xinyi's recent situation.

However, before he even got the chance to ask.

Jiang Xinyi took the initiative and came looking for him herself.

Jiang Xinyi's outfit today was quite interesting. The moment she appeared, the entire class broke into hoots and cheers.

Seeing Jiang Xinyi standing at the door, even You Changjin froze in stunned silence.

Jiang Xinyi was wearing a sun hat, a tight pink sweater, a white pleated skirt, and white over-the-knee socks.

Her beautiful legs were barely exposed, showing only a small sliver of her smooth thighs.

She looked impossibly cute and captivating.

This was a side of Jiang Xinyi that You Changjin had never seen before. He couldn't help but adjust his glasses to get a better look.

At that moment, the students in the class started whistling and teasing.

Ignoring the commotion, Jiang Xinyi spoke directly to You Changjin, "Excuse me, I'm looking for Zhou Yuwen."

"Oh, oh! Yu-Yuwen, step outside for a moment," You Changjin finally snapped out of his daze, hurriedly calling Zhou Yuwen up.

Noting that it was about time anyway, Zhou Yuwen stood up.

He gave You Changjin an apologetic look and mentioned that he and Sister Xinyi had some other matters to attend to, so he might need to leave early.

Logically, You Changjin shouldn't have pried, but seeing Jiang Xinyi dressed up like that, he simply couldn't resist asking, "Where are you two going?"

By this time, Zhou Yuwen and You Changjin were already standing near the classroom door. Zhou Yuwen replied that he was taking Sister Xinyi to play golf.

Hearing this, You Changjin breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, oh, so it's a business negotiation."

"I was wondering why Xinyi was dressed like that," he added, unconsciously adjusting his glasses again, though he didn't dare look directly at Jiang Xinyi.

Zhou Yuwen nodded. "Well then, Teacher You, we'll be taking our leave."

"Go ahead."

Only then did You Changjin muster the courage to glance up at Jiang Xinyi.

Jiang Xinyi merely offered him a polite smile before turning to leave with Zhou Yuwen.

"Didn't I tell you to wait for me in the car? Why did you come in?" Zhou Yuwen asked her once they were out of earshot.

"You actually have the nerve to ask?"

Jiang Xinyi huffed, naturally looping her arm through Zhou Yuwen's as she complained, "You specifically told me to wait for twenty minutes. It's been forty minutes, and you still weren't done."

The two of them had already headed downstairs. You Changjin watched them walk away, catching a final glimpse of Jiang Xinyi clinging to Zhou Yuwen's arm.

However, he reasoned to himself, 'They must just be really good friends.'

'It's not like Zhou Yuwen and Jiang Xinyi are dating, right?'

Sigh. Honestly speaking, before Jiang Xinyi showed up, You Changjin had been doing a great job fulfilling his role as a teacher. But after she appeared, his mind started to wander.

Stepping back into the classroom, he didn't even know what else to say. He could only wrap things up. "Well, that's all for today. Class dismissed."

With that, the students eagerly scattered.

Lu Yuhang glanced at Li Qiang, who was still lying prone on his desk, and couldn't help but say, "Brother Qiang, class is over."

However, Li Qiang gave absolutely no response.

Chang Hao scoffed with utter disdain. "Leave him be."

Lu Yuhang looked at Li Qiang again, hesitating as if he wanted to say more, but ultimately kept his mouth shut.

Right now, Li Qiang and Chang Hao were in the middle of a conflict.

It started when Lu Yuhang and Chang Hao returned to their dormitory at the beginning of the semester.

To be completely honest, most students were happy to return to the university after the winter holiday. But as soon as Chang Hao stepped into the dormitory, he found Li Qiang lying on his bed like a dead dog.

Even though the weather was already warming up, Li Qiang was bundled under a thick quilt. Chang Hao found it completely baffling. Initially, he had even felt a twinge of sympathy, figuring that Li Qiang had probably gotten his heart broken by some girl again.

That was, until he saw his own pried-open wardrobe.

He instantly lost his mind. "Fuck! Who pried open my wardrobe!?"

He yelled this directly at Li Qiang in the top bunk, but Li Qiang completely ignored him.

Afterward, when Chang Hao inspected his clothes, he discovered that although they had been washed, it was blindingly obvious that they had been worn!

"Damn it, what kind of animal does this? Fuck! Prying open a lock to steal someone's clothes to wear! Is that even human behavior? Qiangzi, didn't you stay in the dormitory over the winter holiday?"

Chang Hao was extremely confused. At first, he suspected Li Qiang.

But then he thought it was impossible. Why would Li Qiang randomly wear his clothes?

Did that mean it could only have been a thief?

What kind of poor beggar was so broke they couldn't afford their own clothes and had to wear his?

"A'Qiang, say something!"

Chang Hao demanded, his patience wearing thin.

But no matter how much he interrogated him, Li Qiang lay there like a corpse, not uttering a single word.

Eventually, Chang Hao grew thoroughly annoyed and had no choice but to take all his clothes out to inspect them and wash them all over again.

Lu Yuhang had even asked, "Brother Hao, you're washing them again? Weren't they already washed?"

"How the fuck am I supposed to know if the guy has some sort of disease?! I'm washing them again!"

Chang Hao was genuinely frustrated.

Therefore, up until the end of this class meeting, he hadn't spoken a single word to Li Qiang. He strongly suspected Li Qiang was the one who wore his clothes, but he had no proof. Plus, given Li Qiang's current pathetic state, he really didn't have the energy to argue about it.

However, he absolutely harbored anger toward Li Qiang in his heart.

Meanwhile, Li Qiang remained exactly like a walking corpse, not saying a word.

What everyone else didn't know was just how many text messages Li Qiang had secretly sent to Lu Hui.

"Sister Hui, why are you ignoring me?"

"Sister Hui, I know you must have been forced, right? Is Liu Shuo forcing you?"

"Sister Hui, please say something! I don't mind about any of that. Sister Hui, please don't ignore me. I'm begging you!"

No matter how many text messages Li Qiang sent, Lu Hui didn't reply to a single word. More accurately, she hadn't received them at all.

She had completely blocked him.

During the winter holiday, Lu Hui had been alone in Jinling. Boredom inevitably led her to make a few missteps.

But now that Liu Shuo was back, even an idiot would understand that if Liu Shuo and Zhou Yuwen found out about this, she would definitely be kicked out onto the streets.

Fortunately, she hadn't actually gone all the way with Li Qiang.

It was only hand stuff, so it didn't really count.

Lu Hui figured it was best to just let the matter blow over.

But who could have imagined that this seemingly generous guy—someone who, logically speaking, shouldn't be lacking in girls—would act like such a pathetic loser, spamming her with messages late into the night?

Lu Hui obviously had to block him. She was even starting to feel a bit scared that Li Qiang might come looking for her in person.

What she didn't realize was that in Li Qiang's otherwise worthless university life, Lu Hui had become his only ray of light. Regardless of what her actual motives for being with him had been.

Lu Hui really had coaxed and humored him. In Li Qiang's eyes, she was the only girl who didn't care about money and was genuinely good to him.

For such a girl to finally appear in his life, only to suddenly vanish into thin air.

What guy could possibly withstand that kind of blow?

Left all alone, Li Qiang's mind began to race with wild thoughts. Why was Liu Shuo with Sister Hui? From the way they looked at the time, it felt like Sister Hui didn't even want to be with Liu Shuo at all.

It was obvious that Liu Shuo was forcing her.

What right did he have to be with Sister Hui?

He was bullying Sister Hui!

At this thought, tears spilled from Li Qiang's eyes.

He fiercely wiped his tears away.

He couldn't allow Liu Shuo to bully Sister Hui like this.

So, he fired off another text message to Lu Hui: "Sister Hui, I know why you're ignoring me. Is Liu Shuo controlling you? Don't worry, Sister Hui. As long as I'm here, I won't let him bully you!"

After sending that message, Li Qiang felt significantly invigorated. He pushed himself up and left the classroom.

"Oh, so you finally know how to come back."

When Li Qiang returned to the dormitory, Chang Hao immediately threw out a sarcastic remark.

'Damn it. He stayed in the dormitory for the entire winter holiday.'

'And didn't even notice when a thief broke in.'

'I don't even know who wore my clothes!'

The more Chang Hao thought about it, the more furious he felt.

Even though he had thoroughly washed them again, a lingering sense of disgust remained in his heart.

Chang Hao grumbled while hanging his clothes out to dry.

Sensing that Li Qiang's state of mind was slightly off, Lu Yuhang nudged Chang Hao, silently telling him to drop it.

"Why are you poking me? Was anything I said wrong?"

Chang Hao snorted aggressively.

Right at that moment, the phone belonging to Li Qiang—who had been anxiously waiting for Lu Hui's reply—finally buzzed.

Li Qiang snatched up his phone without a second thought.

Seeing that the text message was from Lu Hui, a surge of excitement rushed through him. He frantically unlocked his phone to read it.

"Stop contacting me. No one is forcing me. Let's just pretend nothing ever happened between us."

"?" Li Qiang froze in disbelief.

Everyone in the room had clearly heard the notification sound from his phone.

Chang Hao launched into his sarcastic commentary again, muttering, "I wonder what girl texted you to make you so damn excited."

For some inexplicable reason, staring at that single line of text on his screen, Li Qiang's emotional defenses suddenly and completely crumbled.

"What's wrong with wearing your clothes?!"

"Fuck! Are you ever going to drop it?! What the hell do you mean by all that?! Aren't you just trying to say that I stole your clothes to wear?!"

"Damn it, I was the one who wore them! What are you going to do about it?!"

"Are these clothes yours? By what right?! Why do you get to be born with all these things, while I was born with absolutely nothing?! So I wore a few of your clothes, what's wrong with that?!"